Richardson Stadium is a sparkling fit for USports football and ideal for a CFL pre-season game or training camp.

There has been an initial inquiry from the Ottawa Redblacks about the possibility of holding training camp at Queen’s because of the new facility and pro-style field. There are residences close by that would make it easy to house a CFL team for training camp. A pro three-down exhibition game could be could be held there in the future too. Naturally with the Redblacks the closest team…The last CFL game – technically the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union back then – played in Kingston was in 1941 when the Toronto Argonauts beat the Montreal Bulldogs 12-1 in a regular season matchup.

One CFL team has already made use of the state of the art facility: the B.C. Lions. During an eastern swing, B.C. played Toronto then had Montreal next – both games were won by the Lions – and the team prepared to face the Alouettes on the Queen’s campus.

“I’d like to thank Pat Sheahan and the whole University for helping us out,” Wally Buono, Lions general manager, and head coach said. “Queen’s has been very accommodating and provided more than even expected. It’s a spectacular facility, and the turf is great, the atmosphere for games must be a lot of fun.”

(Photo Credit: Ian MacAlpine)

The university raised over $20 million to build a jewel on its west campus. Richardson Stadium has a capacity of 8,500 with room for a new pavilion that will be built on the north end to enclose the horseshoe shape. Sitelines are spectacular as the field all around the stadium, there are gathering areas for fans who want to watch the action on large groups and not be confined to their seats. Facilities and amenities are top notch. There is parking close and more within easy walking range of the field. Space would be available for tailgating too.

Great quaint little stadium for a training camp situation in the CFL. Lets all get serious – can the Argos say HALIFAX HERE WE COME. Build a stadium like the RoughRiders have and as the saying goes THEY THE FANS WILL COME. Simple as that. Many well heeled people in Canada or the USA could make this happen.

The Argos may draw bigger crowds in Halifax but there is no way that a team there could survive in a small market.
Halifax has a grass roots soccer supporters group and pushing for a soccer team. There are no grass roots fans in Halifax trying to get a CFL team.
No one in Halifax is interested in a CFL team.
The term “build it and they will come” – doesn’t apply to Halifax just like it didn’t happen in Toronto when they built BMO for the Argos

This, of course, has nothing to do with the Argos. Good to hear a story on USports – football coverage by TSN, Sportsnet, among others, absolutely terrible. I can see a game with teams from the southern USA, but cannot catch a game with teams up here (finally, this past weekend in Kingston). What a joke – always wrap yourselves in red and white in hockey or other sports, but (virtually) ignore gridiron football of the Canadian variety. TSN, Sportsnet (or other major networks) need to do a better job. Thanks CHCH!